Nikita Kondratiev, director of the Department of Multilateral Economic Cooperation at the Ministry of Economic Development, noted that this is a mirror measure in response to Beijing's decision to exempt Russians from visas starting on September 15. According to him, all relevant structures have already begun preparations, and the introduction of a visa-free regime from the Chinese side is considered a settled matter.
He recalled that by 2030, Russia intends to increase the number of foreign tourists to 16 million people per year, of which about 5.7 million may be visitors from China. According to the ministry's calculations, this will provide about a third of the total incoming flow and will become an important factor in the development of the tourism industry.
To achieve these goals, work is underway to promote the country's tourism potential abroad and adapt the infrastructure of Russian regions to the growing number of travelers. As Kondratiev emphasized, the regions will have to carefully assess their capabilities and prepare to receive significantly more tourists from China.
